FOODS TO AVOID FEEDING YOUR CAT

The main reason why people are discouraged from feeding their food to their cat is as a result of the toxic nature of these human foods to cats. The usual premium cat foods are good for your cat because of the nutrients it provides. Thus, feeding them any extras will result in loss of appetite in their regular meals.

The following are a list of foods that cats should never eat;

Onions, garlic, or any other related root vegetables –

Any form of onions from the onions family can be problematic to cats if eaten in sufficient quantity. A small bit of garlic or onions may not be an issue, but a clove of garlic or green bulb of onions will cause digestive upset and anemia in the long run. This is because onions contain a substance, N-propyl disulfide, which destroys the red blood cells in a cat. The same content is also available in garlic but a smaller quantity.

Green tomatoes and green raw potatoes –

There is a bitter, poisonous alkaloid substance called Glycoalkaloid Solanine that is found in these foods and is said to cause lower gastrointestinal symptoms which could be very serious in cats if eaten. It is the leaves and stems that are most toxic. It is imperative to mention that the tomatoes that are added to most pet foods are ripe and normally in small quantity.

Milk and dairy products –

It has been observed that dairy products can cause vomiting and diarrhea in cats. This is because most cats react to lactose in milk and milk products as they suffer from stomach upset, cramps, and gassiness. A safer way to give milk to your cat is to give small amounts of cream because of the more the fat in the milk, the less the lactose which will not adversely affect your cat. This should be like twice or thrice a week. Another safe dairy product for cats that contains an enzyme to break down lactose is Cat-Sip.

Chocolate –

This food contains theobromine, a bitter-tasting stimulant found in every form of chocolate especially in dark and unsweetened ones. When eaten by cats, it can cause heart problems, muscle tremors, or seizures. Chocolates are very toxic to cats and dogs and equally, contain caffeine.

Grapes and raisins –

The Animal Poison Control Center have warned against giving pets of any kind foods like grapes and raisins because of its high toxicity levels to dogs. It’s advisable you keep this away from cats too.

Alcohol, coffee, tea, and energy drinks –

Giving just a little quantity of alcohol to your cat can cause severe liver and brain damage to your adorable cat. Other drinks like coffee, tea, or energy drink contain caffeine which causes cats to be restless, suffer heart palpitations and rapid breathing as well as muscle tremors.

Raw Eggs, Meat & Bones Raw –

Salmonella or E. coli poisoning in cats is associated with the ingestion of raw eggs or raw meat. The illness has symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. You might want to know that humans can also contact Salmonella and E. coli. It is, therefore, necessary to ensure proper washing of your hands after touching them, and your cat equally kept away from them. There are also possible skin and coat problems that come from raw eggs. Raw bones are dangerous to your cat and can choke her, injure her digestive tract and damage her teeth.

Avocado –

While avocado is healthy for humans, it is mildly poisonous to cats. This is because Persin is present in the leaves, tree bark, seed, and the fruit itself, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea.

The health, well-being, and life of your cat is largely dependent on the type of food available to her. As long as your cat is being fed with a balanced diet and all toxic and poisonous foods kept far away, the health of your cat would be guaranteed.

There are some steps you can take to keep away your cat from dangerous food;

Make sure foods are out of the reach of your cat. You can use locks on cabinets which will prevent your cat from getting to the harmful food.

It is not safe allowing your cat climb to the counter while you’re cooking or eating. Do not feed her table scraps.

When you’ve events in your home, be sure to prevent your cat from having access to the numerous foods available.

IN CONCLUSION

Your vet remains the useful help to get if you suspect that your cat has eaten any of the dangerous food. This is because of the hazardous effect of some of these foods which you wouldn’t want your dear cat to suffer.